What Are People Who Study Birds Called?

The people who study birds are called ornithologists, and the study of birds is ornithology. Ornithology is a zoological branch dedicated to learning about birds in ways that surpass simple identification and classification.

Ornithologists study bird behavior, their physical traits and the mutual impact between birds and their ecology. While many ornithologists are professional scientists that do in-depth studies of birds, much information about these animals comes from those who enjoy ornithology as a hobby. The root of the word, "ornitho" originates from the Greek "ornis," meaning "bird." Ornithologists utilize laboratory and habitat studies to learn more about these creatures. The invention of such tools as binoculars and telescopic lenses had a huge impact on this field of study, which has now expanded even further to use radar and bird banding.